Comptroller

At the region’s first Delmarva Poultry Summit at Salisbury University on Wednesday, Peter Franchot reminded a diverse audience that two years ago, growers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore produced $640 million worth of poultry, with Wicomico County’s share alone totaling $250 million.

Maryland should not expect to generate significant new revenue by chasing unpaid sales and use taxes from online sellers without changes in federal law to enable states to collect the money, the state’s comptroller said.

Maryland Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot made clear before taking office in 2007 that he would expand the job description beyond collecting taxes, paying the state’s bills and auditing its agencies, and he is living up to that promise.